If you haven't heard the news blowing up the quilter's corner of the internet this week, then I am about to impart great wisdom and excellent news. No, no, this has nothing to do with car insurance.
This has to do with Denyse Schmidt releasing a line via Fabric Traditions, exclusively for chain stores. Namely Jo-Ann Fabrics in the US and Spotlight (in May) in Australia. At $9.99/yard, it's not cheap. What it is, though, is soft and lovely, and so, so pretty.
Forgive the lighting, I wanted to set the mood...
Cue the Barry White. I think I'm in love...
*shakes head" Where was I? Oh, yes.
I called my local Jo-Ann's on Monday, when I first read that someone had randomly found it in their local Jo-Ann's. The staff at mine said it was in the building, having just been delivered, but that it wouldn't be out until later this week. I took a chance this afternoon and, after work, drove over. Only to find a bolt of every one of the 21 prints on a U-boat (think tall, giant dolly with two sides, forming a U) along with some Alexander Henry Farmdale prints (roosters, apples, some of the hatch and dot, and the turquoise floral). Ordinarily, just the Farmdale prints would have sent me into a tizzy. But not today. Oh no. Today, I was on a mission.
I flagged down an employee and asked it anyone would mind if I helped myself off of the U-boat. She looked at me like I was nuts. "Honey," she said, "if it's what you want on that cart, help yourself." Right on!
Think of a cross between the joy of Christmas morning and an Easter egg hunt, as there were at LEAST 70 bolts of fabric all mashed in on the 3-level cart, stacked a good 6 feet high. I sized it up, planned my attack, and started pulling. At one point another employee came around the corner and asked if she could help. I explained what I was doing, and she began to grin. She GOT it. She knew who and what I was talking about, and was so excited about the fabric, too! I don't often get to share my geekery with real people, you know, in person. There might have been squealing. Maybe.
I showed some small restraint and left 3 bolts on the cart (I am not totally sold on the small ginghams, and one of the green florals), then counted. And recounted. Only 19?? Then I realized--the dots were missing!! Those dots you see in at the bottom of the stack there? Were not on the cart. ONOES!
Then I felt stupid. When I'd called the store on Monday, the two product ID codes I'd had them check were the dots--the girl had offered to put them aside for me. So I took my cart and zipped back to the cutting table and *phew!* there they were! I'm a dope (and if you are not new to my blog, you know this already. Heh.).
In any case, there was much cutting. And much more geekery, as the girl working at the cutting table also was sooo excited about the line.
And then I met a blog lurker! Not one of mine, sadly, at least I don't think she is. She did, however, know Amy (Badskirt), because really, who doesn't? (I meant that in the nicest way possible, Amy, honest!) I didn't want to ask her if she knew who I was. Because either way that could go would just be strange, no? However, lovely girl and fabric addict whose name I didn't catch at the Milford, CT Jo-Ann's, it was wonderful to meet you and I hope I left you enough Picnic and Fairgrounds!
Now, off to drool a bit over the goodies, and then sweet dreams!